Floor structure for a mobile hospital



Jan. 30, 1968 H. HEZiSE FLOOR STRUCTURE FOR A MOBILE HOSPITAL Filed Nov 8, 1965 FIGJ.

FIG.3.

ORNEY United States Patent Ofiice 3,365,849 Patented Jan. 30, 1968 1 Claim. oi. 52-122 This invention relates to portable building stiuctures.

In the event of natural catastrophes, war, or other events which require temporary housing for use as hospitals or shelters, it is often necessary that such housing be supplied in the shortest possible time. In order to do this it may be necessary to transport the housing by air, truck, train, or other available means. This requires a structure that is sturdy, not too heavy, and can be used for a number of purposes on the site.

It is therefore a primary object of this invention to provide a portable building structure that can be easily transported over great distances and which can be quickly erected on a chosen site.

It is a further object of this invention to provide against loss in the event of an accident while the structure is being transported over water.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a structure which can be moved about the site without the use of power equipment.

A further object of this invention is to provide a structure which can be expanded to provide additional shelter.

The invention will be understood from the following description considered in connection with the accompanying drawing, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a view in elevation taken along the line 3-3 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 2 is a view taken along the line 22 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a cutaway view of the floor structure taken along the line 11 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is an end view of a detail of FIG. 2.

In the drawings is shown a building structure comprising walls 1, 2, 3, 4, a ceiling 5 and a floor structure F. The floor comprises a main floor 6 and a sub-fioor 7 separated by box girders 8. The girders are made up of parallel partitions secured to the floor sections and divide the space between the sections into parallel chambers and 22. The chambers 20 are closed at each end by wall sections 42 secured to the floor sections and subdivided by partition walls 9 into individual cells. Each cell is provided with piping in order to serve as a storage reservoir for drinking water. The cell structure also serves to float the building in the event of an accident while being transported over water by a helicopter, for example.

The chambers 22, which are in effect the box girders, remain open at the ends and slidably support and guide telescoped tubes 10. When in the collapsed condition, the tubes are stored as shown on the left of FIG. 2. When the tubes are extended they form a support for a tent floor 11,

as shown on the right of FIG. 2. Eccentrics 13 are carried on the ends elements of the tubes 10 and can be rotated to level the floor and can be secured in the rotated position to complete the assembly.

Sections 3 and 4 are hingedly connected to roof 5 and sections 11, 11' are hingedly connected to floor 6. When being transported, sections 4 and 11 are pivoted into the position shown in FIG. 2 and sections 3 and 11 are pivoted into the dash line position of FIG. 2. In use, one or both sections 3, 11 and 4, 11 can be used as a wall as shown at the left of FIG. 2 or as :an extension to the main structure as shown on the right of FIG. 2. Either sections 12, 12 may be of canvas or similar tent material or could be rigid panels.

When the building arrives at the site where it is to be used, it can be dragged to a desired location on runners 14, the telescoped tubes drawn out, the floor 11 and or 11' laid on eccentrics 13, the eccentrics rotated to level the floor and locked against the further rotation, and the wall sections 12, 12 assembled over the floor 11.

The cells can be filled with drinking water or with other liquid if needed as ballast in a high wind. FIGURE 1 shows a conventional inlet pipe 32 and a conventional outlet pipe 30 for conducting liquid into and out of a typical cell. These pipes are threaded on their upper ends for easy connection of filling and emptying accessories. If desired, the tclescoped tubes can be connected to a heating plant using conventional threaded pipe couplings 26, whereby the floor and consequently the structure may be heated.

Having described the construction which embodies the principles of my invention I claim as my invention.

1. A building structure comprising walls, a ceiling and a floor, said floor comprising a main floor and a sub-floor, and parallel partitions secured to said floors for supporting said floors spaced from each other and defining parallel closed chambers spaced by parallel open chambers, partitions secured to said fioors dividing the closed chambers into a plurality of closed cells, telescoped tubes slidably mounted and guided in said open chambers whereby the tubes may be withdrawn from the collapsed and stored position to an extended position to provide a floor support for a tent, wherein an eccentric member is carried on the free end of each tubular member.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,236,091 3/1941 Fletcher 29623 X 2,634,462 4/1953 Graven 52-69 2,715,756 8/1955 Carver 52-126 X 2,727,484 12/1955 White 114.5 2,732,251 1/1956 Meaker 5267 2,765,499 10/1956 Couse 52-69 X 2,832,637 4/1948 Decosse 296-23.7 X 2,913,775 11/1959 Sailor 5269 2,924,829 2/1960 Moiser 29623 X JOHN E. MURTAGH, Primary Examiner. 

1. A BUILDING STRUCTURE COMPRISING WALLS, A CEILING AND A FLOOR, SAID FLOOR COMPRISING A MAIN FLOOR AND A SUB-FLOOR, AND PARALLEL PARTITIONS SECURED TO SAID FLOORS FOR SUPPORTING SAID FLOORS SPACED FROM EACH OTHER AND DEFINING PARALLEL CLOSED CHAMBERS SPACED BY PARALLEL OPEN CHAMBERS, PARTITIONS SECURED TO SAID FLOORS DIVIDING THE CLOSED CHAMBERS INTO A PLURALITY OF CLOSED CELLS, TELESCOPED TUBES SLIDABLY MOUNTED AND GUIDED IN SAID OPEN CHAMBERS WHEREBY THE TUBES MAY BE WITHDRAWN FROM THE COLLAPSED AND STORED 